Audi A6 from India Soon.

Audi  A6 from India Soon

Audi A6model is manufacturing  from  India now. Booking of this Audi A6has been started already.  The company isplanning to produce 2000 cars from this factory at Aurangabad.  Audi A4 and A5 models also will be manufactured from this unit.   Arrangements have been made to manufacture4,600 cars from this unit in this year. 

Detailsof Audi A6 Car.

The A6 is slightly shorterthan the outgoing model and the roofline is lower too. The reduced length hasresulted in shorter overhangs but hasn’t compromised interior space which, onthe contrary, has been enhanced with a wheelbase that is 69mm longer thanbefore. Extensive use of aluminium in the body structure has made the new A6 80kglighter on a spec-to-spec basis than the previous car, benefitting bothperformance and economy.

Audi’s focus on lavishinteriors has made Audi cabins the last word in quality and the new A6 is noexception. The design is simply superb and is an appealing mix of curves andlines with great detailing. All shut lines are within 2mm of each other toemphasise the topnotch fit and finish throughout the cabin. The wraparounddashboard ‘blades’ is a terrific design touch and special wood veneer (a costoption) gives the interior a quality feel that no BMW or Mercedes can match.

The new A6 comes packed withtech too, a lot of which has trickled down from the A8. The latest iteration ofAudi’s Multi-Media Interface (MMI) system is standard and the large high-resolutionscreen, which glides out of the dashboard, is very easy to read. Also very user-friendlyis the wide display area between the speedo and tachometer that gives you allthe information you need while driving. Options include a state-of-the-art Bang& Olufsen system, Google Earth on the navigation system (not for India yet) andhigh-tech systems like active lane assist, parking assist, night vision assistand adaptive cruise control.

The seats themselves are verycomfortable and the Indian-spec cars will get full power adjustment for thefront seats. The rear seat doesn’t feel particularly spacious by classstandards though. However, Audi successfully creates an impression of spacewith the use of lighter materials and narrow A-pillars which improve visibilityand let more light in.

The A6 will be launched inSeptember this year with four engine options in India. The base model will be a 2-litreturbo-diesel 2.0 TDI which puts out 177bhp while a pair of petrols – a 2.8 FSIand 3.0 supercharged TFSI – develop 204bhp and 299bhp respectively.

We tested the top-of-the-range245bhp 3.0 TDI Quatrro which will compete with the BMW 530d, Mercedes E350diesel and Jag’s diesel XF-S. Not only is four-wheel drive standard on therange-topping A6 but so is Audi’s seven-speed, S-tronic dual-clutch automaticgearbox. This car also comes with an automatic engine start-stop system.

By omitting the traditionaltorque converter as used by the A6’s rivals, some compromise in the smoothnessof the transmission was expected (twin-clutch units can be jerky and they areslow off the line) but except for the odd jerk, you really don’t miss the lackof torque multiplication a torque converter offers. The benefits of a twin-clutchunit, of course, are better performance and efficiency.

The torquey A6 3.0 TDI’smidrange is explosive and overtaking is an absolute breeze. You needn’t switchto manual or Sports mode and can simply leave the shifter in D, letting thesurplus grunt seamlessly whisk you past traffic. Paddle-shifters behind thewheel allow for more control and were useful on the mountain sections but thesheer immediacy and responsiveness of this gearbox is its forte.

Body control is brilliant overundulating roads and at high speeds it has a poise and precision that is veryreassuring. There isn’t too much driver involvement that can be derived fromthis chassis though. The A6’s electromechanical steering feels a touch too numb,just as in the A8, and that takes a lot away from the driving experience. Butit’s ride comfort, space and refinement that really matter in India and inall these counts the A6 scores pretty well.

The best bit is that the new A6won’t be much more expensive than the outgoing one. The base 2.0 TDI versionwill be the cheapest A6 yet with a starting price of well under Rs 40 lakh (ex-showroom,Delhi). BMW andMercedes finally have a serious fight on their hands.